Word
thread
US/ˈθɹɛd/
UK/θɹˈɛd/
Definitions
01sewing string
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. a long, thin strand of cotton or silk used for sewing clothes.
n. a fine cord of twisted textile fibres used in needlework and garment construction.
日本語:糸※
“She chose a blue thread that perfectly matched the colour of her new dress.”
“The tailor selected a high-tensile silk thread to ensure the seams of the heavy coat would not burst under pressure.”
02internet messages
B1 · Intermediate Countable noun Computing
n. a series of connected messages or comments on a website or social media app.
n. a chronological sequence of online posts or messages related to a single original topic.
日本語:ツリー※
“I found a very helpful thread on the forum about how to fix my laptop.”
“The discussion thread grew to over three hundred comments as users debated the merits of the new software update.”
Synonyms
03logical connection
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. the idea or story that connects different parts of a book or speech.
n. a consistent theme or logical progression that connects the successive points of a narrative or argument.
日本語:筋道※
“It was hard to follow the thread of his story because he kept changing the subject.”
“The detective struggled to find a common thread between the three seemingly unrelated crimes committed across the city.”
04computing process
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical
n. a small part of a computer program that can run at the same time as other parts.
n. the smallest unit of programmed instructions that can be managed independently by a scheduler.
“The application uses a separate thread to download files so the screen doesn't freeze.”
“By implementing multi-threading, the developers allowed the engine to process physics calculations and rendering logic simultaneously.”
05screw groove
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Engineering Technical
n. the raised spiral line around a screw or bolt.
n. a helical ridge on a cylindrical fastener or within a hole, designed to convert rotation into linear motion.
“The screw wouldn't go in because the thread was damaged.”
“The engineer specified a fine thread for the adjustment bolt to allow for more precise control over the tension.”
06to prepare a needle
B1 · Intermediate
v. to put a piece of thread through the small hole in a needle.
v. to pass a length of filament through the eye of a needle or the guides of a sewing machine.
“He had to squint in the dim light to thread the needle.”
“Before she could begin the embroidery, she had to thread the machine with a delicate metallic yarn that frequently snapped.”
07to move through
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to move carefully through a crowded or narrow place.
v. to make one's way through a series of obstacles or a crowded space with precision.
“The waiter had to thread his way through the crowded restaurant with a heavy tray.”
“The motorcyclist expertly threaded through the stationary traffic, reaching the front of the queue just as the lights turned green.”
08hair removal
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to remove unwanted hair using a piece of twisted string.
v. to remove facial hair by using a doubled and twisted thread to pluck multiple hairs simultaneously.
“She goes to the salon every three weeks to have her eyebrows threaded.”
“Threading is often preferred over waxing for sensitive skin because it does not involve the use of harsh chemicals or heat.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “thread” in context.
Verb
01. lose the thread
“The speaker was interrupted so many times that he eventually lost the thread of his argument.”
verb + noun
02. pick up the thread
“After the break, the professor picked up the thread of the lecture right where she had left off.”
verb + noun
03. thread your way through the crowd
“We managed to thread our way through the dense crowd to reach the front of the stage.”
verb + possessive + noun + prep + noun
Adjective
04. common thread
“A common thread of resilience runs through all the stories in this collection.”
adj + noun
05. tenuous thread
“Their connection was a tenuous thread that threatened to snap at any moment.”
adj + noun
Noun
06. thread of conversation
“It was difficult to follow the thread of conversation in such a noisy and chaotic room.”
noun + of + noun
Preposition
07. hang by a thread
“The peace negotiations are currently hanging by a thread after the latest border skirmish.”
prep + noun
Real-World Examples
“You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments.” “Another person posted on a Reddit thread that they would be outside Camden Town station with a fistful of glasses, at £20 a pair, until they had sold out.” “An HIV thread runs through the story, and if "you're negotiating safe sex, you don't have a say in a relationship with those kinds of dynamics", she says.” Etymology
From Middle English thred, þred, threed, from Old English þrǣd, from Proto-Germanic þrēduz, from Proto-Indo-European treh₁-tu-s, from *terh₁- (“rub, twist”). Cognates Cognate with Yola dreade (“thread”), Saterland Frisian Träid (“thread, wire”), Cimbrian draat (“string, thread”), Dutch draad (“thread, wire”), German Draht (“thread, wire”), Luxembourgish Drot (“wire”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk and Swedish tråd (“thread, wire”), Faroese tráður (“thread”), Icelandic þráður (“thread”). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian dredh (“twist, turn”). More at throw.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Related words
Idioms
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/thread
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0